The Tracker's Field Guide: A Comprehensive Handbook for Animal Tracking in the United States [Paperback]

James C. Lowery (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Venture into an animal's life story through its tracks and signs. More than simply determining where an animal crossed the road, tracking can lead to a study of how the animal uses its habitat, how it travels, where it feeds or hunts, how it breeds and raises its young, and how it survives. In this book, leading tracking expert Jim Lowery distills his remarkable expertise, gained over decades of intensive research and practical field experience, into a comprehensive field guide to tracking North American mammals. Fully illustrated with hundreds of drawings and high-resolution photographs, The Tracker's Field Guide sets a new standard for books on tracking.
This easy-to-use guide features:

Clearly written descriptions plus photos and illustrations of scats, tracks, and gait patterns
Easy-to-use track measurements for each animal
Tips on proper track interpretation technique
Notes on the behavior and habitat of each mammal
A glossary of tracking terms
Quick-reference summary pages at the back of the book
A tough, water-resistant cover and extra-durable binding made to withstand the rigors of field use

About the Author

Jim Lowery has taught hundreds of beginning and advanced tracking workshops over the past eighteen years. His school, Earth Skills, located in Frazier Park, California, offers courses and special training in tracking and survival.

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: FalconGuides; 1st edition (January 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0762739819
• ISBN-13: 978-0762739813
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #807,296 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #30 in Books > Science & Math > Nature & Ecology > Field Guides > Mammals

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Good FIELD Book - Not Comprehensive Though, January 24, 2009

By 

Thomas Meli (NY, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Tracker's Field Guide: A Comprehensive Handbook for Animal Tracking in the United States (Paperback)

Each field guide has its strengths and weaknesses, and with so many tracking books out one has to ask, what are the merits of this one?

Strengths

1) The book is organized much better than Elbroch's book, which though comprehensive and detailed, is a nightmare to use in the field. This is the books main huge merit - ease of use in the field. The organization is by animal groups (canines, felines, rodents, etc.), but the ease comes in the side tabs which make it extremely easy to find what you're looking for. Also, all the gaits and measurements are on the 2nd page

2) Few tracking books have fine details on comparing one species to similar species. This book does, and its extremely useful in making comparisons.

3) One of the few books to extend Tom Brown Jr's concepts of pressure releases into actual real studies. He does this on a species specific basis such that if you go to the Bobcat section, a careful study of Bobcat pressure releases can reveal the activity of the animal step by step.

4) Important natural history points are in bold - the book is just very nice and easy to read. The visual hierarchy is superb.

Weaknesses:

1) The book is very obviously based on field studies in the West. Though even if you do track in the East, I would absolutely get this book on account of its ease of use.

2) No color prints.

3) Though it IS comprehensive, it is only so in a general way... Voles are all bunched together, and most small rodents are not given the attention they deserve.

4) Not much attention to sign tracking / landscape tracking.

Not many other weaknesses. A fine book and great contribution to the field.

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Comparing with other tracking books:

Elborch: Nothing beats Elbroch when it comes to landscape & Sign tracking. Go here for that. Also careful attention is paid to tracker training and mental apprenticeship to woods awareness. Extremely essential.

Rezendez: Great stories, and a bit more natural history information in this. Also sign tracking.

Tom Brown Jr's (Science & Art of): Many people have said that they have read this book and still have no idea how to track an animal. The awareness techniques and exercises are extremely unique and the perspective is very refreshing. I think the point with his books are to change the way we are in the woods. His book on Nature Awareness is perfect in this regard.

Jon Young's: Jon Young's book is a full apprenticeship with woods awareness through tracking. Absolutely essential.

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All this being said, the final note is: perfect FIELD guide, but you will still want to cross reference this book with the previous books.

--
Thomas Meli
http://www.thomasmeli.com

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, November 13, 2011

By 

Chris Chisholm - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Tracker's Field Guide: A Comprehensive Handbook for Animal Tracking in the United States (Paperback)

The Tracker's Field Guide by James (Jim) Lowery is excellent. Based on real, scientific field experience, this book is an invaluable resource for anyone studying animal tracking around the world, and the one indispensible guide in the field for anyone in southwestern states.

1 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Ok Tracking Gude, May 31, 2010

By 

Khan (Florida) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Tracker's Field Guide: A Comprehensive Handbook for Animal Tracking in the United States (Paperback)

Not the best, but not the worst book for tracking. I would suggest Elbroch's book for clear print identification and books by Jon Young and Tom Brown Jr. for additional animal tracking information.